Bunch-builder for winding and like machines



June 20, 1933.l l w. MARcRoFT 1,915,194

BUNCH BUILDER FOR WINDING' AND LIKE MACHINES I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 13, 1931 June 20, 1933. wl MARCROFT V BUNCH BUILDER FOR WINDING AN-D LIKE MACHINES 2 sheets-smet 2 Filed Aug. 13,l 1931 wwzfw Patented June 20, 1933 *y UNITED vSTATES PAT-ENT OFFICE WILLIAM r1V.'[A]RGIROFT, OF CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL WNDING COMPANY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSA- CHU SETTS :BUNCH-:BUILDER FOR WINDING AND LIKE MACHINS Application' led August 13, 1931. Serial No. 556,897.

This invention relates to improvements in bunch-builders for winding and like machines. It is particularly related to bunchbuilding devices of the type shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,084,459,

which is capable of winding bunches of different yardages in accordance with therequirements of certain types of feeler-motions in looms.

Another object of the invention is to prof vide a device of the type specified which is capable of winding bunches and service windings on bobbins without appreciable variation in the tension of the yarn.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bunch-builder of the type specified which does not subject the yarn to undue strain and abrasion by contact thereon at a plurality of points.

Another object of the invention is to pro-- vide a bunch-builder of the type specified which is easier and more convenient to thread in preparing the winding machine for operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified which is simple in construction and adapted for use withl practically all types of winding machines without alteration in the arrangement of the mechanism thereof.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which. describes a preferred embodimentof the invention, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. ln the drawings: y

Fig. l is a plan view showing the essential elements of a. well known type of winding .machine and illustrating theV present improved bunch-builder as applied to use therewith Fig 2 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. l and showing the present bunch-builder with its parts in position after the completion of the bunch and immediatelyk prior to the transfer of the yarn to the thread-guide which performs the service winding on the bobbin;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the winding mechanism showing the relation of the operating elements of the bunch-builder with respect thereto, with the yarn-controlling means illustrated in operative position by full lines anll'in transferring position by broken lines; an

Fig. 4 is a view showing the relative positions of the yarn-controlling means and thread-guide at the completion of the bunch winding and illustrating the method of transferring `the yarn to the guide to effect the service winding.

In the prior patent first above referred to the bunch-building device is shown as comprising automatically-operated means adapted to engage and hold the yarn at the commencement of the winding of a cop or bobbin f to limit its extent of traverse whereby to build a relatively narrow bunch on the bobbin or other yarn-receiver. Such. means consists essentially of a swinging controlle r-arm having a notch or guideway through which the yarn draws as it leads to the bobbin to restrain it from being traversed by the thread-guide to any considerable extent, and automatically-operated means for swinging the controller-arm out of position after a predetermined interval to release the yarn to allow it to be traversed to the full extent by the guide to build the service winding on the bobbin.

In the second patent above referred to substantially the same mechanism is shown for releasing the yarn after the building of the bunch, but in lieu of the controller-arm initially held in fixed position to restrain the yarn from being traversed, a controllingmeans or auxiliary guide is shown engaging the yarn and adapted to be reciprocated with the traversing thread-guide to impart a restricted traverse to the yarn during the building of the bunch. In this latter form of device the automatically-operated means acts to release the yarn from they auxiliary guide at the completion of the bunch whereby the yarn is thereafter traversed by the thread-guide to the full extent during the service winding.

In the bunch-builder of each of these patents the yarn is engaged at two points during thebuilding of the bunch, namely, by both the thread-guide and the controllingmeans, the automatically-operated releasing means removing the controlling-means from the yarn to permit the service winding to be accomplished by the thread-guide alone. As a consequence of the yarn being engaged at two separate points, one of ywhich is iiXed and the other continuously reciprocated, in the case of the bunch-builder. of the firstnamed patentvthe path of the strand is periodically altered in'length with the result that the tension on the yarn is constantly varied. Asa result of this action the yarn has a tendency to be wound rather loosely in the bunch during the movement of the thread-guide in one direction and much tighter upon thereturn movement of the guide. Such uneven winding is liable to cause a malformed or irregular bunch and the recurrent ktightening of the strand increases the tension and strain on the yarn so that it is liable to become stretched and strained and sometimes broken. Moreover, in both instances where the yarn is engaged at two points during the bunch-Winding it is subjected to excessive rubbing and abrasive action. Y f

In the present improvement I make use of the automatically-operated mechanism of the prior devices to effect the release of the yarn after the building of the bunch, but in lieu of a controlling-means which restrains the yarn afterits passage'through the threadguide to build the bunch, I employ means engaging the yarn to restrain it to build the bunch without requiring its passage through the thread-guide. In brief, the yarn-controlling means operates alone on the yarn to build the bunch andtherafter the strand is transferred to thelthread-guide which performs the service winding.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is Vhere illustrated av rotating'windingspindle 10 and reciprocating traverse-bar 11 vof the same general arrangement as disclosed in thek priorv patents above referred to. The traverse-bar 11 is arranged opposite the spindle 10 and adaptedl to carry a pick-up` yyarnor thread-guide 12 which is provided with a strand-guiding groove 13'.l Besides its reciprocatingmovement with the bar 11 the guide 12 is also fed progressively. outward therealong to cause rit tol lay .the yarn in superimposed conical layers a'dvancingprogressively along the spindle to build the cop or bobbin in the usual `manner bylongitudinal extension oftheyarn mass. The'winding-spindle 10 is journaled in bearingsin ,a main frame 140i? the machine and is driven through suit- .used on the winding-spindle 10 in place of the wooden bobbin B asshown, or any other lsuitableV form of yarn-receiver may be employed. The traverse-bar 11 is adapted to reciprocate in bearings in the frame 14, being actuated from a rocker-arm or other suitable mechanism, not herein shown or described. The bar 11 is preferably constructed in two parts, a main section 16 and athreaded section 17, connected at their adjacent ends by a pin and slot arrangement shown at 18. The outer end of the threaded section 17 of the traverse-bar 11 is mounted yin a swiveled outboard-bearing 19, shown in'Fig. 1, which allows its inner end to swing inwardly toward the winding-spindle 10.

The thread-guide 12 is vsupported at the end of an arm or guide-holder 21 which is hinged on the threaded section 17 of the bar 11. Engaging the threads of the section 17 of the bar 11 between the two legs of the threadguide holder 21 is a nut 22, the turning movement of which feeds the guide 12 along the bar. A contact-wheel 23 carried on the nut 22 is adapted to engage the surface of the winding to advance the guide 12 with respect to the bobbin B. The swiveled arrangement of the threaded section 17 of the bar 11 allows the wheel 23 to be pressed in toward the winding-spindle 107to adapt it to engage the first layers of yarn wound on the bare bobbin., and these elements operate in connection with a former-arm 24:V of a type shown and described 'niore' particularly in Patent. No. 1,809,217, previously referred to, to build the first layers of the bobbin.

The present improved bunch-building deviceris arranged in relation to the above-described mechanism as next explained. The improved construction herein shown includes an auxiliary guide or controller-arm 26 of substantially elbow-shape having its outer end forked to form a long finger 27, a shorter linger 28 kand a notch or guideway 29 therebetween. The guideway 29 is adapted to receive the yarn y which is maintained therein in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 at the commencement of the windingoperationfor winding a bunch at the butt end of the bobbin. Vith the devices of both of the prior patents above referred At0 the yarn is usually supplied to the winding-spindle from below,

beingv guided through "the reciprocating thread-guide beforepassingto the bunchbuilding means. In the present improved device, instead of passing the strandl through the thread-guide before subjecting it to the controlof the controller-arm, as shown in the prior art, and consequently 'causing itto be' reeiprocated' by the guide to no'- advantage while theV bunch is beingf formedf, the yarni passesdownwardly from anoverhead supply soureelor from an upper'guide-bar,y not shown, and directly through the notch 29of the controller-arm-2Gtothe bobbin. fterthe bunch is completed the controller-arm 26' isauto-- matically thrown intel the position illfustr ated= inE F ig. 2, and' by bro-lieny lines in lFig. 3l By this operation the yarn is transferred from? the notch 29 of the controller-arm 26-to'the groove 13V ofv the thread-guide l2` whereinit travels during-the ensuing Winding' to build the main` body of thev bobbin inthe conventional manner.

The mechanism for automatically throwing theeontroller-arin-26Tis preferably of the typeV showirand described in the patents above referred to. rllheinner end of the controllerarm i6 isslottedf as shown at 30 to adapt it to be adjustably secured by suitable screws 31-31 toa lever 32 of the operating mecha*- nism. The automatic operating-mechanism may be contained' in a casing 33l suitably at'- tached to the frame 14V of ther winding'y machine. rEhe lever 32 is rockably mounted within the casing 33 andi is formed with a right-angled toe or extension 37 carrying aV pawl 34 adapted tocheclr the rotation` of a ratchet 35 controlled by a helical wind-up spring coiled about its a-Xis. The pawl' has a stop-finger 34 engaging the edge-of the extension 3'?! ofthe arm 32 whereby under the movement of the latter in a clockwise direction the pawl will' be released from the ratchet 35 top-ermit rearwardv rotation'thereof for a purpose as later explained. Pro- `iectingradially from the ratchet 35-is a stopinger 35" adapted to engage thel end7 of the pawl 34y for the purpose of retaining the ratchet in initial position. An arm or lever 40pivoted to the arm 32 at 41carries-a pawl 42' adapted to turn the ratchet 35 under the oscillating movement of the lever. The lever 40 isv connected at 43 tothe traverse-bar 1l to adapt it tobe continuously oscill'ated therefrom. The pawls- 34 and 42 are maintained in engagement with thel teeth of the ratchet 35 by means of a spring 44 connecting their e' ends.

A cam 45 is mounted coaX-ially of andsecured. rotatively with the ratchet 35 and the end' of the right-angled extension 3T of 'the lever 32 engages the periphery of the cam.

- TheV camy 45 is cut away at one peint on its adjusted to regulate the size of the bunch. or'

thelength et yarn. woundv thereinto by varying theiposition of thelcam-fa'ce entire-ratchet 35%` Vtlhenfalbunch:of'the'desired'size or yard-- age has been wound the concaved face 4'6 of' the caml will haveY been rotated. into4 positieny to receive the right-angled extension 3T et the lever 32, whereupon the-springt? will: swing the lever 32't'o move its extension. 37: acrosslthe axis of the cam and the controllerarmi 26'- seeuredl thereto will. thusA be rcarried toward the thread-guide l2. v

rllhe method of operation: ofthe complete device is as `follows Before-starting the windingyt'hewooden: bobbin B or otherv yarn-receiver is placed on. the winding-spindle 10;. the yarnl y ledl downwardly from its sourcek of' supply or' overhead guide-bar and its end secured to the bobbin. The controllerLarm 2Gisnext swung toward the traverse-bar 1l tothe position illustrated by full' lines in Fi 11 and and` the yarn g/ placed inthe notchl 29 between: the lingers 27 and 28. rthis adi-- u'stment of the' controller-arm 26 swings-the right-angled extension 37. ofi the arina32frad`i1- allyv outward; to engagel its edge wri th, the circular` periphery' of.' the cam r45- whieh. is re-v leased.-y tof be rotated under the-'tension of the wind-up spring. It' is notedfthat the adjustment off the arm 32 in the mannery as above explained acts through the engagement of'its extension 37 with the' stop-inger34 of the Yl ttofrelease the latter from the ratchet 35.v Upon` the release-of the ratchet the-cam 45 is turn-ed. baclruntil its stop 35 brings up against the end. of` the pawl Threading; of the yarn into the bunchbuilder toprepare the machinefor winding is extremely easy and convenient to accomplish,y it being only necessaryv to engage the yarny in. th'en'otch. 29' ofthef arm 26 without any further manipulation of. the strand. The winding machine is started to rotate the winding-spindle 10 to wind the yarn onto the receiver Bas it feeds theretothrough the auxiliaryv guide or controller-arm 26. loncurrently with the rotation of the spindley 10 the traverse-bar 1l' is reciprocated to cause the thread-guide 12' to traverse back and? forth longitudinally of the bobbin B. Since as bef-ore explained. the strand or yarn y leads` from above to the bobbin initially by way of! thenotch 29 in the end of the controller-arm 26 without being'engaged by the thread-guide 12, the reciprocation of the latter does not affect the yarn. The yarn is therefore wound' onto the receiver or bol'ibinv B atthe butt end thereof with only a short traversing movement as permitted by thewi'dthl of the notch 29, thereby forming a narrow and compact bunch as indicatedA by the referencecharacter. v

Duringl the initial winding yot the bunch on= the bobbin B the controller-arm 2G re-y mains fixed in the position shownin Fig. I, its forked: end extending acrossv the spindle IDD 10 toward thetraverse-bar 11and in a higher plane in order to maintain the yarn out'of the path of the yreciprocating` thread-guide 12.

As the bunch winding proceeds the reciproeating movement of the traverse-bar 11 oscillates the lever 40 to actuate the pawl 42 to in-l simultaneously with the inward movement of the thread-guide 12 toward the position shown in full lines in Figs. 2, 6y and 4 or adjacent the butt end of the bobbin B.Y The retraction of the controller-arm 26 in the manner explained causes the yarn y to slide from the recess 29 outwardly along the finger 27 to a pointv bevond the end of the shorter finger 28. Upon the next outward oscillaltion of the thread-guide 12 the yarn is vpicked up thereby and drawn ofi' from the end of the finger 27, thus being freed from the controller-arm 26 to be traversed by the-threadguide 12. It should be noted thatthe threadguide 12 is of the pick-up or self-threading type, having a curved finger loverlying its groove or threadway 13, see Fig. 4.' As the guide moves to the left the yarn is engaged by. the curved edge of the guide-holder 21 and directed against the side of the finger 15. The continued movement of the guide in the direction indicated causes the yarn to slide along the finger`15 and pass under its end in the manner as illustrated by full lines in Fig. 4. The yarn is thus seated in the groove 13 of the guide 12 to-be thereafter prevented from release by the finger 15 which acts as a guard therefor as shown by dash lines in Fig. 4. In this manner, when the bunch winding is completed the yarn is released from the auxiliary guide 26 and transferred to the reciprocating thread-guide 12 to be laid on the bobbin with the full extent of traverse for the service winding. The machine will thereafter continue to operate to wind the yarn with the full extent of traverse to build f the service winding forming the main body of the bobbin which is constituted by a series of conical' layers of yarn stepped progressively forward toward the tip end of the spindle 10.

When the bobbin is completedin the form as illustrated b v dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1 it is doffed from the spindle l0 and an empty receiver placed thereon. The, controller-arm 26 is then manually rocked against they tension of the spring 47 into the' position shown in Fig. 1, where it is once more held by the return of the cam to first position as shown in Fig. 1. The winding of a new bobbin may then proceed as before in the manner as above explained.

In some cases it is desirable to change the location of the ybunch with respect to the butt of the bobbin, that is, to wind it at a greater or a lesser distance therefrom. This is accomplished by simply loosening the screws 31 in the arm 32 and extending or shortening the length of the controller-arm 26 projecting therefrom so as to adjust the position of the notch 29 in relation to the end of the bobbin.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides for a much easier and more convenient method of threading up the yarn in the winding machine to prepare the latter for operation. There in other types of bunch-building devices it has been necessary to place the strand in the thread-guide before threading it into the controller for the bunch-winding means, in the present device the yarn is simply engaged with a single guiding means, that is, the notch in the controller-arm. As a further important advantage of this arrangement in the present device the yarn is not caused to make a plurality of sharp bends at different points of contact with its guiding means and thus is relieved of unnecessary strain and abrasive action.

Vhile I have herein described and illustrated my improved bunch-building device as embodied in a preferred form of mechanism and applied to `use in connection with a certain type of winding machine, it is to be understood that modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the device and in its adaptation to winding machines of other types without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim: j

1. In a winding machine, the combination of means for traversing yarn on a receiver to wind a cop or bobbin, means for initially holding the yarn out of the path of the traversing-means to prevent it from being engaged therewith whereby to wind a bunch on the bobbin, and means for transferring the yarn from the holding means to the traversing-means upon the completion of the bunch winding.

2. In a winding machine, the Combination of means for traversing yarn on a receiver to wind a cop or bobbin, means for guiding the yarn to the receiver in a course outside the path of the traversing-means to restrain it from engagement therewith during the winding of a. bunch on the receiver, and means operative upon the completion of the bunch to shift said guiding-means into position to transfer the yarn therefrom to the traversing means.

3. In a winding machine, means for laying a service winding of yarn on a receiver, means for winding a bunch on the receiver by preventing the yarn from engagement with the service winding means for a predetermined period, and means to transfer the yarn from said bunch-winding means to the servicewinding means.

4L. In a winding machine, means for laying a service winding of yarn including a. reciprocating guide for the yarn, means for winding a bunch by withholding the yarn from engagement with the guide at the start of the winding operation, and means for transferring the yarn from the bunch-winding means to the reciprocating guide.,

5. In aA winding machine, the combination of means for traversing yarn on a receiver to wind a cop or bobbin, means for guiding the yarn in a path to prevent it from being engaged with the traversing-means whereby to build a bunch, and means for transferring the yarn from the bunch-winding means to the traversing-means.

6. In a winding machine, the combination of means for laying a service winding of yarn y on a receiver, means for building a bunch on the receiver before the service winding is commenced by withholding the yarn from engagement with the service-winding means, and mechanically-actuated means operated upon the completion of the bunch to transfer the yarn from the bunch-winding means to the service-winding means.

7. In a winding machine, the combination of means for traversing yarn to a predetermined extent to form the service winding of a bobbin, means for withholding the yarn from engagement with the traversing-means whereby to build a bunch, and means for transferring the yarn from the bunch-winding means to the traversing-means.

8. In a winding machine, the combination of means for traversing yarn on a bobbin to lay a service winding, means for restraining the yarn to cause it to wind with a. shorter traverse to build a bunch before the traversing means engag-es the yarn, and means actuated from the traversing-means upon the completion of the bunch to shift the restraining means to transfer the yarn to the servicewinding means.

9. In a machine of the type specified, the combination of a rotating winding-spindle,

r a guide for traversing yarn to wind a bobbin on the spindle, an auxiliary guide for engaging the yarn to build a bunch before the rst-mentioned guide engages the yarn, said auxiliary guide being initially positioned to restrain the yarn from engagement with the traversing-means during the bunch winding, and means for transferring the yarn to the rst mentioned guide after the completion of the bunch.

10. In a machine of the type specified, the

combination of a rotating winding-spindle anda vthr-ead-guide vfor the yarn arranged to be -reciprocated one with respect to the other, van .auxiliary guide for engaging the yarn Ito build' a bunch before 'the first `men- ,tionodguidecngages .the y rn, said .auxiliary .guide being initially positioned to restrain t'heyarn from engagement with 'the threadguide during the bunch winding,and means '.operativeon the auxiliary guide to transfer the Ayarn therefrom to the thread-guide to build the body of the bobbin.

.111. In al winding machine, the combinaftionef a winding-spindle and thread-guide :adapted to be reciprocated one With respect 5to the otheriotraverse yarnfto wmd abobbm,

dle to transfer the yarn therefrom to lther thread-guide whereby `it is traversed to the full extent to wind the main portion of the bobbin.

12. In a winding machine, the combination of a winding-spindle, a thread-guide reciprocable longitudinally of the spindle to wind a bobbin thereon, a controller-arm adapted to hold the yarn to prevent its engagement with the thread-guide as it leads to the bobbin whereby to wind a bunch, and means for moving the controller-arm toward the thread-guide to transfer the yarn thereto to wind the body of the bobbin.

13. In a winding machine, the combination of a winding-spindle, a thread-guide reciprocable longitudinally of the spindle to wind a bobbin thereon, a pivoted controller-arm for holding the yarn to prevent its engagement with the thread-guide to wind a bunch, and means for swinging the controller-arm to transfer the yarn to the thread-guide to wind the body of the bobbin.

14. In a winding machine, the combination of a winding-spindle, a thread-guide reciprocable longitudinally of the spindle to Wind a bobbin thereon, a controller-arm for holding the yarn to prevent it from engagement with the thread-guide whereby to wind a bunch, and ratchet-controlled means for moving the arm toward the thread-guide to transfer the yarn thereto to wind the body of the bobbin.

15. In a yarn winding machine, a guide for the yarn, means for traversing the guide in a predetermined path, a pivoted arm adapted when in one position to engage the yarn to withhold it from the path of the guide to prevent its engagement therewith and when in another position to locate the yarn in the path of the guide, and means for moving the arm.

16. In a winding machine, a rotating spind1e, a thread-guide, means for traversing the thread-guide with respect to the spindle to wind a cop or bobbin thereon, a pivoted arm for controlling the yarn to Wind a bunch,y

means for holding the arm in fixed position to withhold the yarn from engagement with the thread-guide to build abunch, and means for moving the arm transfer the yarn to the thread-guide.

17. In a yarn winding machine, a traversing guide for the yarn adapted to pick up the strand upon Contact therewith, means for traversing the guide in a predetermined path,

a controller-arm adapted when in one position to withhold the yarn from the path of the gide to prevent its engagement there- "with and in another position to locate the vto' yarn in the path of the guide whereby the latter will pick up the yarn, and means for Amoving the arm to transfer the yarn `therefrom to the guide.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature. v

WILLIAM MARCROFT. 

